Flue-cleaner.



A. NILSON.

lFLUE CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED MAY la. 191e.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

ANDREIPNILSON, QF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TQ THE AEUREKA SMOKELESS' FURNACE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, `.A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FLUETCLEANER. Y f 'l' -To all whom t may concelrm Be itknown that I, ANDREW N1LsoN,.a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Flue-Cleaners, of

which the following is a full, clear, concise,

and'exact description, reference being hadv to the accompanying drawings, forming a..

part of this specification.

f My invention relates to flue cleaners and has for its object the provision of an improved device which automatically adjusts itself to the siz'e of theitube, and which scrapes the interior of the tube with varying degrees of pressureas may be required.

I will describe one form which my device may take more in detail by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which-g Figure 1 isfaside view of my imp roved device in a flue cleaning position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of certain details'of construction;

Fig. 3 is a side view partly in section of the j aw structure;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View lof the handle operating mechanism, and

Fig.5 is an enlarged sectional View on` line 1r-a of Fig. 4.` y

' My. improved device consists of a supporting arm or tube 1 having a slot' 2 through which a handle 3' is adapted to control a movable rod or tape 4. The tape 4 projects out of the tube l'and may be of` the necessary length so as to accommodate the device within any of the normal lengths of flues, such for instance as the flue 5 fastened to the boiler wall 6. The ltube 1 has a curved extremity 7 provided with antifriction rollers 8 between which the tape 4 is guided into a circular path. The curved extension 7 ends in a cap 9 which is adapted to impinge against the 'open extremity of the flues, as for instance shown in Fig. 1.

The tape or flexible rod 4 carries at its extremity a jaw structure 10, which jaw structure is movable throughout the length of the flue. In order to move this jaw structure I provide a'sliding shoe 11 within the tube 1, which sliding shoe carries the handle 13 by having it pivoted thereto through the agency of the stud 12. The handle has at its extremity a cam head 13 extending away from both sides of the stud 12.l The tape v4 can then be locked between the solid wall 14 of I'by the studs 23.

the shoe 11 and the cam 13 when tlie handle is moved, for instance, into the position \by lforcing the jaw structure -10 outwardly' away from the cap 9. The jaw structure Patented Mar. is, 1er-7.'

Applitatilm ieamay 18,1916. seriamaesaes. r

comprises a suitable framework -15 fixedly mounted upon the tape 4 by means vof the set screw 16. Within this frameworkl is mounted la tubevla through which the tape 4 passes. The extremity of the tube'lj has a collar 17 and a locking ring 18 is sei cured to the end of the tape 4by means of'v i the set screw 19. lais av sleeve 20, which sleeve can be lslid between the abutment 21 forming. part of the framework 15 and the collar 17. The

sleeve 20 carries four Scrapers or jaws 22 which are pivotally mounted on this sleeve The jawsv have cutting edges 24 running substantially longitudi-` nally thereof but being bent slightly as shown more clearly in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and Iwhich also have diagonal cutting edges 25.

In the operation of the device'it is first placed into the position shownin Fig. 1, at which time however the jaw structure 10 usually rests immediately next to the collar 9. The handle 3 isethen moved to the alternative position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, and the tape 4 moved upwardly so as to push the jaw structure, in the flue 5 to the farthest extremity of this flue. During this movement thel friction between the jaws 22 and the sides of the flue of course pushes the sleeve 20 to the left (Fig. 3) so that the jaws are contracted, this being due to the fact' that the inner surfaces 26 of the jaws are rounded and they thus move inwardly when the jaws slide to the left along the Slidable upon the tube i collar 17 As soon as the jaw structurehas.I

vas lnew and -Patent 1s:

' l. A devlce of thel character describedr downwardly so as to pull the jaw structure toward the collar 9. In this position the friction of the jaws, of which there are at least solne touching the fine. draws the sant jaws together with the sleeve 20 to the right relative to the framework l5 (Fig. 3), whereupon these jaws are expanded into the position shown in Fig. 3 as their tapering inner surfaces slide along the collar 1T. The

harder the pull the stronger is the tendency jaws outwardly thus described one form which my lnventlon may take, what I claim desire to secure by Letters comprising a supporting arm, a rod' movably mounted within said arm, a jaw structure carried at the extremity of said rod, and means carried by rod to thereby move said jaw structure awa)7 from or towardsaid arm, Said means including a grip )ing device having means adjustably mova le along said rod to thereby progressively move said rod in either direction along said arm.

2. A device of the character described comprising a support-ing arm, a rod movably mounted within said arm, av jaw structure carried at the extremity ot' said rod, and means carried by said arm to lnove said rod to thereby move said jaw structure away from o'r toward said arm, said jaw structure including a support, a sleeve movable relatively thereto, a plurality of jaws, and wedge mechanisml for expanding and retracting said jaws upon relative movement between said 'sleeve and said support.

said arm to move said- 3. A device of the character described comprising a. supporting a rm, a rod movably mounted within said arm, an expandible and retractable jaw structure carried at the extremity of said rod, and means carried by said arm to move said rod to thereby move said jaw structure away from or toward Said arm. said jaw structure including a support, a sleeve movable relatively thereto, a plurality of jaws. and wedge `mechanism Afor expanding and retracting said jaws upon relative movement between said sleeve and said support.

l. A device ot' the character described comprising` a supporting arm, a rod movably mounted within said arm, a jaw structure carried at the extremity of-Said rod. and means carried by said arm to move said .rod to thereby move said aw structure away from or toward said arm. said means including a gripping device having means adjustably mov progressively move said rod in either direction along said arm. said jaw structure including a support, a sleeve movable relatively thereto, a plurality of jaws, and means for expanding and retracting said jaws upon relative movement between said sleeve and said support.

o. A device of the character described comprising a supporting arm having a rounded extremity. a flexible tape movably mounted within said arm, a jaw structure carried at. the extremity of said tape, and means carried by said arm to move said -tape to thereby move said jaw structure away from or toward said arm. 'said jaw structure including a support. a sleeve movable relatively thereto, a plurality of jaws, and wedge mechanism for expanding and retracting said jaws upon relative move-- ment between said sleeve and said support. In witness whereof. I hereunto subscribe my name this 25th day of April, A. D., 1916.

ANDREW xnsox.

lVitnesses HAZEL A. JONES, MAX lV. ZABEL.

able along said rod to thereby 

